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Logistics · head to head

McLeod Software vs Motive

McLeod Software logo

McLeod Software

Logistics

The long standing transportation management system for North American asset carriers and brokerages

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Motive logo

Motive

Fleet Management

ELD compliance, AI dashcams and spend management for North American commercial fleets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: McLeod Software it is a Microsoft SQL Server application that most customers still run on their own servers, so the total cost includes hardware, database administration and a disaster recovery plan that the vendor does not provide.; Motive contracts are multi-year and per vehicle with hardware embedded, so a fleet that shrinks keeps paying for units that are sitting in a yard.
  • They diverge on capability: McLeod Software covers LoadMaster, Motive covers ELD compliance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which McLeod Software and Motive actually diverge.

Attributes where McLeod Software and Motive differ
AttributeMcLeod SoftwareMotive
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryLogisticsFleet Management

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in McLeod Software

  • LoadMaster
  • PowerBroker
  • Driver pay and settlements
  • EDI and integration
  • Document Power imaging
  • Business intelligence

Only in Motive

  • ELD compliance
  • AI dashcams
  • GPS tracking
  • Driver safety scoring
  • Vehicle diagnostics
  • Spend management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

McLeod Software

  • A truckload carrier above one hundred trucks whose driver pay rules break every simpler system it has triednot Motive
  • A brokerage that needs carrier payables, factoring interfaces and settlement controls rather than a load board with invoicingnot Motive
  • A carrier required by large shippers to exchange EDI tenders, status messages and invoices in specific formatsnot Motive
  • A company running both assets and a brokerage that wants each side on the vendor system built for itnot Motive

Motive

  • A trucking fleet that must run FMCSA compliant electronic logs and wants cameras from the same vendornot McLeod Software
  • An operator facing an insurance renewal that requires evidence of a driver coaching programmenot McLeod Software
  • A construction fleet tracking both vehicles and unpowered assets such as trailers and generatorsnot McLeod Software
  • A fleet suspecting fuel card misuse and wanting transactions matched against vehicle locationnot McLeod Software

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

McLeod Software

  • It is a Microsoft SQL Server application that most customers still run on their own servers, so the total cost includes hardware, database administration and a disaster recovery plan that the vendor does not provide.
  • Version upgrades are projects rather than background events, and carriers routinely run releases that are a year or more old because upgrading requires testing every customisation and integration.
  • Licensing is per seat with modules priced separately, so a carrier with part time weekend dispatchers or occasional finance users pays full seats for people who log in a few hours a week.
  • The interface is dense and built for trained operators, and onboarding a new dispatcher takes weeks rather than days, which is expensive in a role with high turnover.
  • Pricing is never published and implementations commonly run six months or more with vendor or partner services, so the first year cost is a multiple of the annual licence and difficult to estimate before a sales process.

Motive

  • Contracts are multi-year and per vehicle with hardware embedded, so a fleet that shrinks keeps paying for units that are sitting in a yard.
  • Driver facing cameras generate real workforce resistance, and fleets in tight labour markets have lost drivers over the rollout rather than the technology.
  • Installation and calibration across a distributed fleet takes weeks of vehicle downtime, which is rarely costed into the comparison at the point of purchase.
  • The rebrand from KeepTruckin means older documentation, integration guides and third-party references are inconsistent, which slows technical work on connections.
  • Coverage depends on cellular networks, so remote route segments produce gaps in tracking and delayed log uploads that drivers then have to reconcile.

Pricing, plan by plan

McLeod Software

On request
  • LoadMaster$undefined/year
    • Asset carrier transportation management
    • Driver pay and settlements
    • Dispatch and equipment management
  • PowerBroker$undefined/year
    • Brokerage operations
    • Carrier procurement and payables
    • Customer billing

Motive

On request
  • Motive$undefined/year
    • Per-vehicle subscription over a multi-year term
    • Hardware supplied within the agreement rather than purchased outright
    • Dashcams, asset trackers and spend management priced as separate lines

Which should you pick?

Choose McLeod Software if

  • You need loadmaster.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want powerbroker.
McLeod Software review

Choose Motive if

  • You need eld compliance.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ai dashcams.
Motive review

Questions people ask

Is McLeod Software or Motive better?
Neither clearly leads. McLeod Software starts at On request and Motive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, McLeod Software or Motive?
McLeod Software starts at On request and Motive at On request.
Does McLeod Software or Motive run on more platforms?
McLeod Software runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Motive runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is McLeod Software best used for?
McLeod Software is most often used for a truckload carrier above one hundred trucks whose driver pay rules break every simpler system it has tried, a brokerage that needs carrier payables, factoring interfaces and settlement controls rather than a load board with invoicing, a carrier required by large shippers to exchange edi tenders, status messages and invoices in specific formats, a company running both assets and a brokerage that wants each side on the vendor system built for it. Of those, a truckload carrier above one hundred trucks whose driver pay rules break every simpler system it has tried and a brokerage that needs carrier payables, factoring interfaces and settlement controls rather than a load board with invoicing are not what Motive is typically brought in for.
What can McLeod Software do that Motive cannot?
McLeod Software covers LoadMaster, PowerBroker, Driver pay and settlements, EDI and integration. Motive covers ELD compliance, AI dashcams, GPS tracking, Driver safety scoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

McLeod Software: Is McLeod available as a hosted service?

Yes, McLeod offers hosting, but a large part of the installed base still runs on premises and budgets accordingly.

Motive: Is Motive the same company as KeepTruckin?

Yes. KeepTruckin renamed to Motive in 2022. The products and account relationships carried over.

McLeod Software: Can a fifty truck carrier use it?

It will run, but the licence and implementation economics rarely make sense below roughly one hundred trucks.

Motive: Can hardware be bought outright?

It is normally supplied inside a multi-year subscription rather than sold, which is why the exit cost of a shrinking fleet is high.

McLeod Software: Who owns McLeod Software?

It has remained privately held and independent since it was founded in 1985, which is unusual in this market.

Motive: Does it work outside the United States?

Canada and Mexico are supported, including Canadian electronic logging requirements. Coverage elsewhere is limited.

McLeod Software: How long is a typical implementation?

Plan for six months or more once data migration, EDI setup and settlement rule configuration are included.

Motive: Are the driver facing cameras optional?

Yes, road facing only configurations are available, and fleets worried about driver retention often start there.

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